A dominant second-half performance by Celtic consigned 10-man Caley Thistle to a 3-0 defeat at Parkhead.
Inverness withstood spells of first-half pressure to keep the game goalless at half-time, however second-half goals by Scott Sinclair, Leigh Griffiths and Tom Rogic saw the Hoops secure a comfortable victory, with Caley Jags midfielder Greg Tansey dismissed for a second booking midway through the second-half.
Despite the result, Caley Thistle remain sixth in the Premiership table following Kilmarnock’s failure to defeat Hamilton Accies.
Caley Jags made three changes from the side that drew 3-3 against Hearts the previous weekend. Young goalkeeper Cammy Mackay was replaced by Owain Fon Williams who returned to fitness, while Carl Tremarco, out with a hamstring injury, was replaced by Lewis Horner, and Billy King came in for Aaron Doran who was out with a groin strain.
Celtic had the first glimpse in the opening stages when Leigh Griffiths, restored to the starting line-up by manager Brendan Rodgers, tried his luck from long-range with an effort that flew just wide.
Griffiths threatened again on 12 minutes with a venomous strike from similar range, however he saw his effort well blocked by Caley Jags skipper Gary Warren.
Caley Thistle’s first effort came on 20 minutes when the ball landed kindly at Lonsana Doumbouya’s feet on the edge of the box, however he failed to keep his curling right-footed effort down.
The visitors threatened again two minutes later when Ross Draper headed straight at goalkeeper Craig Gordon from an Iain Vigurs free-kick.
From the immediate break upfield, Inverness had goalkeeper Fon Williams to thank for keeping them level when he made an outstanding fingertip save to push Griffiths’ cushioned volley on to the crossbar. There was another scare for the Highlanders moments later when Stuart Armstrong threaded a delightful pass to release Patrick Roberts, but rather than take on the shot himself he attempted to square to Moussa Dembele, with his pass evading the run of the Hoops’ leading scorer.
Celtic had further chances before the break, their best coming when Armstrong screwed Emilio Izaguirre’s delivery wide with a free header.
The Hoops grabbed the lead just four minutes into the second-half however, when a neatly lofted chip by Callum McGregor over the top of the defence released Sinclair, and he prodded the ball past Fon Williams from close-range.
Foran shook up his attacking options, bringing on Alex Fisher and Jake Mulraney in place of Doumbouya and King. Caley Jags’ day went from bad to worse on 64 minutes however. Referee Crawford Allan played advantage following Tansey’s foul on McGregor, with the ball breaking to Dembele who saw his shot superbly saved by Fon Williams, only for the ball to break to Griffiths to score, with the misery compounded when Allan returned to show Tansey a second booking.
Forced to play the remaining 26 minutes with 10 men, Caley Jags found it increasingly difficult to contain the hosts, who wrapped up the points seven minutes from time through substitute Rogic’s deflected effort.
